


What We Reap

by Ysabetwordsmith



Series: Frankenstein's Family [2]
Category: Frankenstein & Related Fandoms, Frankenstein (1931), Frankenstein - Mary Shelley
Genre: Alternate Universe - Family, Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Alternate Universe - Science Fiction, Alternate Universe - Trans, Body Dysphoria, Canon Disabled Character, Classics, Dancing, Disability, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Families of Choice, Family, Family Dynamics, Family Feels, Family Secrets, Feels, Feminist Themes, First Dance, Friendship/Love, Gender Dysphoria, Gender Identity, Gender Issues, Genderbending, Gift Giving, Gothic, Holidays, Love, No Sex, Other, Physical Disability, Platonic Romance, Romance, Romantic Friendship, Science Family, Science Fiction, Thanksgiving, Trans Character, Trans Male Character, Unconventional Families, Victorian Science Fiction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-11
Updated: 2014-02-11
Packaged: 2018-01-11 23:06:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 625
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1179025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ysabetwordsmith/pseuds/Ysabetwordsmith
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>From their castle, Victor and Igor observe a harvest festival in the village.  Igor coaxes Victor into dancing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	What We Reap

**Author's Note:**

> This poem came out of the November 5, 2013 [Poetry Fishbowl](http://ysabetwordsmith.livejournal.com/730515.html). It was inspired by a prompt from Dreamwidth user Perfectworry.  It also fills the "face to face" square in [my 10-6-13 card](http://ysabetwordsmith.dreamwidth.org/9484750.html) for the Origfic Bingo fest.

In the village below,  
the church bells were ringing  
the end of the harvest.

Up the little lane  
came the horse and cart  
carrying the last sheaves of grain.  
Garlands of flowers and colorful ribbons  
bedecked the sides of the wagon.  
The horse kept trying  
to eat the wreath around his neck.

"The villagers seem happy,"  
Igor observed.

"It's been a good harvest,"  
Victor said, bouncing their son on his hip.  
Adam gurgled and sucked his fist.  
"I've always loved this season."

"Why?" Igor wondered.

"What we sow in spring  
determines what we reap in fall,"  
Victor explained.

"Assuming it doesn't hail  
and wipe out the crop,"  
Igor said.

"There's always that,"  
Victor said, turning away   
from the window, his cheer fading.

Igor slumped a little,  
realizing that he'd hit a nerve  
without meaning to.  
"We could go down to the village  
and enjoy the festival," he said.

"I can't dance," Victor said.  
"I never liked the women's dances  
and wasn't allowed to learn the men's moves."

Igor shrugged. "So what?  
They're improvisational dances  
with a lot of body music.  
You're good at making things up."

"People would laugh at me,  
hopping about like a stripling  
and tripping over my own feet,"  
Victor said.

"I won't laugh, and I won't let you trip,"  
Igor said stoutly. "I bought you a hat."

"What?" Victor said,  
turning to look at him.

Igor held it out, a dapper black hat  
with bright ribbons fluttering from the back.   
"I saw you eyeing these in the shop.  
I thought you should have a proper hat  
to wear on special occasions."

"Oh," Victor said softly,  
charmed as always  
by Igor's support of his manhood.

"Let's trade," said Igor,  
picking up the baby  
as he handed Victor the hat.

Victor tried it on at once,  
admiring himself in the mirror,  
while Igor laid Adam on a floor cushion.  
Adam promptly sat up  
to watch his daddies.

The hat put Victor in mind of dancing,  
which was exactly as Igor intended.  
Victor began to tap his toes  
and pat his palms against his thighs,  
remembering what he'd seen  
of the young men's moves.  
The ribbons of his new hat  
twirled behind him.

When Victor tried to pick up his feet  
and slap them with his hands,  
he toppled over backwards --

only to land safely in Igor's arms.

Igor set him gently upright  
and said, "Keep going.  
You'll figure it out."

"Ah! Ah! Ah!" said Adam,  
waving his chubby hands.

Igor played along with his own hands,  
although he never tried any   
of the fancier moves, his body  
too twisted for such a limber sport.  
Still he smiled to watch Victor  
cavort around the room.

They wore themselves out  
by the time supper was ready.  
It was not so lavish a feast  
as Victor might have gotten  
if he'd stayed with his parents --  
but here he could be himself  
and that made the simple fare  
all the more satisfying.

There were potatoes and carrots,  
turnips and onions all boiled together.  
There was a loaf of dark rye bread  
with fresh butter and a bit of jam.  
There was even a joint of mutton.

Adam was starting to show interest  
in solid food, so they let him  
pick up bits of potato and carrot  
in his little fists.

Victor didn't even realize  
that he had started crying  
until Igor pulled him close for comfort.  
They were suddenly face to face,  
near enough to feel each other's breath,  
intimate and beloved.

Igor reached up   
and cupped his cheek,  
brushing away the tears  
with a gentle thumb.  
"Why are you crying?"  
he asked Victor.

The question was enough  
to clarify the answer,  
and so Victor explained,  
"Because I'm so thankful  
to have a family of my own."

**Author's Note:**

> [Thanksgiving](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanksgiving) is one example of a [harvest festival](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvest_festival).  Most cultures around the world have something like this.
> 
> [The setting](http://www.shmoop.com/frankenstein/setting.html) of [Mary Shelley's _Frankenstein_](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankenstein) rambled over much of Europe, with some [interesting historic context](http://www.bookdrum.com/books/frankenstein/9780192833662/setting.html).  You can [read the novel](http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/84) online.  I'm leaning toward central Europe for the setting of this series, possibly [Transylvania](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transylvania), which was [under Hungarian rule](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transylvania#Hungarian_rule) for a while.
> 
> [Hungarian folk dance](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hungarian_dance) is beautiful and lively, spanning [Magyar](http://hungarianhistory.com/lib/hunspir/hsp05.htm), [Roma](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roma_in_Hungary), [Transylvanian](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:People_from_Transylvania), and other cultures.  [Body music](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_percussion) and [improvisation](http://journal.oraltradition.org/files/articles/4iii/2_kraft.pdf) characterize the dances from this region.  [Watch a dance performance](http://www.festival.si.edu/2013/folk-dances-of-hungary-hungarian-choreographer-dezso-fitos-and-his-virtuosic-dance-troupe/).  [See some photos of dancers](http://hungarianfolk.com/), including the men's hat with ribbons.  Recently we saw a performance of this and I couldn't resist weaving in some of the motifs.
> 
> [Hungarian folk garb](http://goeasteurope.about.com/od/hungary/ss/Hungarian-Folk-Costumes.htm) is diverse, with vivid colors in weaving and embroidery as [typical of central Europe](http://angelasancartier.net/folk-dress-eastern-europe).  This page focuses on [Transylvanian clothes](http://folkcostume.blogspot.com/2013/05/overview-of-peoples-of-transylvania.html).  Browse pictures of [Hungarian clothes](http://www.pinterest.com/basakdemirel/costume-folk-hungarian/).


End file.
